McCrory talking good game so far

North Carolina’s incoming Gov. Pat McCrory is off to a good start if his recent interview on a cable news show provides an indication.

Appearing on Fox News Channel’s morning show, the governor-elect offered some sensible and encouraging answers to questions about his plans to improve the state’s job situation.

To those who followed the campaign, it comes as no surprise that McCrory is looking to the energy sector to create new jobs. The Charlotte area includes a wealth of energy jobs, and McCrory has a strong knowledge of the business from his long tenure with Duke Energy.

For starters, McCrory has his eye on tapping into North Carolina’s supply of natural gas — an idea that gained some traction in the Legislature last year.

New jobs would come from exploration as well as from processing and delivery to consumers, and tapping into natural gas supplies would expand an already strong North Carolina industry that employs thousands.

The new governor is sure to encounter opposition from environmentalists with strong ties to the Obama administration and from the administration itself, but McCrory made it clear he wants to work with the president to advance the county’s independence from foreign energy.

The electorate is sure to appreciate the idea of politicians in opposite parties working together for the good of the country.

In the interview, McCrory offered a preview of how he intends to work collaboratively with governors of neighboring states on energy and on the complex and the burdensome regulations coming down with Obamacare.

Cheers to the governor-elect for voicing the idea that state government can provide solutions and that leadership does not rest with the federal government alone.

A coalition among states with common concerns can lead to better solutions than a one-size-fits-all federal approach. And state legislatures can be more nimble than Congress, leading to government that is more responsive to the public.

These ideas — along with the Herculean task of revamping the state’s tax code to be more favorable to new and existing business and industry — would be a good start in demonstrating leadership and vision that the new governor can bring to Raleigh in his quest to improve the economy of North Carolina.